Who deals with Buildings Inspector?

[brianivor]

I have had a couple of quotes from builders to put a door through a wall from my hall into the back of my garage.

On both occasions the builder wrote on the quotation - "Building Inspection to be arranged by customer"

Is this usual? surely you pay for the job and the builder deals with everything?.

Or should I smell a rat here?

I would welcome your advice please.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

What is important is that the builder is going to be present during the inspections. Seems odd the builders are reluctant to arrange, it’s only a phone call the day before! I’ve never known builders not to arrange the inspections. You need to ask them their reasons for not doing so. Hope you’ve chosen builders carefully? Remember also that ultimate responsibility lies with the homeowner to ensure the works meet the regulations not the builder. Have you had drawings done or what?

 

[brianivor]

My instructions to the builders were:

Cut a hole through 9 inch solid load bearing wall,
Support opening with suitable lintel,
Fit a standard FD30 door
Make good.

I am reasonably good at DIY and have researched the project whereby I feel like tackling it myself, but getting specifics such as dimensions of lintel to meet Building Regs is difficult
I thought that a tradesperson would need to be up to date with what is required and be responsible for his work - they charge enough!

 

[Richard C]

I thought that a tradesperson would need to be up to date with what is required and be responsible for his work - they charge enough!

Be very careful with assumptions like that, some don't even know Building Regulations exist let alone comply with them; as FMT says, responsibility for complying with regs is on you not your builder.

 

[jeds]

I thought that a tradesperson would need to be up to date with what is required and be responsible for his work - they charge enough!

This is really a question of responsibility. Bottom line is that tradesmen don't normally design things. Under normal circumstances their job is to follow instructions designed by others. That's fine of course when the job is big enough for you to consult a professional but on small alterations like this you obviously have to find a compromise.

Of course some tradesmen are perfectly capable and providing you establish that then no problem, let them get on with it. But in that case they should definitely provide you with full details of what they have done including lintels, type and size etc. and details of building control visits, which they should deal with. For that, expect to pay a bit more.

Alternatively, you could control the work yourself and provide the tradesman with full details of what you want done and how. In that case you should also handle the building control visits but it would be useful to have the builder there as well. Obviously, for this, you should pay a bit less.

 

[^woody^]

"Building Inspection to be arranged by customer"

This is a bit of a nonsense statement as it really is no probelm for the builder to arange the inspection when it is required. What happens if you arrange an inspection and the builder is not ready for it, or not on site?

What the builder is trying to do is put the onus on the client for any missed inspections, when the builder ploughs through the work and then blames the client for not getting the work inspected at the relevent stages

It is implicit in any type of work which involves inspection that the builder not only realises that inspection is required and when, but deals with the inspector. OK, the builder may not want to actually make the call, in which case the onus is on the builder to tell the client that an inspection is due, and that he would like the work inspected on "x" date and could this be arranged.

The builder is supposedly the professional, and as such should deal with the things which the client can't

If you chose to go with a builder with this statement on his quote, then either get it crossed out, or in your letter of acceptance, state your own terms, and make sure that "Builder to deal with all statutory undertakers, inspections, enquiries and the like" is part of the agreement

 

[WestmidsChippy]

My instructions to the builders were:

Cut a hole through 9 inch solid load bearing wall,
Support opening with suitable lintel,
Fit a standard FD30 door
Make good.

I am reasonably good at DIY and have researched the project whereby I feel like tackling it myself, but getting specifics such as dimensions of lintel to meet Building Regs is difficult
I thought that a tradesperson would need to be up to date with what is required and be responsible for his work - they charge enough!

How many tradesmen do you see flying around in Ferrari's/Lamborghini's etc

More then likely he will know exactly what materials are to be used but then maybe he thought, what with all the jobs about to go tits up, maybe i could help someone else out...

I would like to see you work from 7:30am until (most night's) 17:00-21:00 doing hard manual graft day in day out and see how long you would last.
Tradesmen have to buy there own tools as well you know, they don't drop out of thin air.

I mean we could swap careers but we have not got the brain capacity to do such a thing.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Time of the month WestmidsChippy?

 

[WestmidsChippy]

Time of the month WestmidsChippy?

Time of the past FEW months buddo

 

[Richard C]

Time of the month WestmidsChippy?

Time of the past FEW months buddo

You need a break man, take one

 

[RedHerring2]

I was listening to a mate the other day, he'd had/seen/experienced something which had fired him up really wicked.

He sat down and fired off a letter, in response, except that he didn't post it, he didn't even print it.
He said that this is his normal practice. he'll save the letter until the next day, then he'd review and tone it down if he felt a little cooler.

Wise actions, I thought.

 

[brianivor]

Some useful replies here - thank you, but isn't the situation in mess?

A non-practical householder just has to rely on someone else if he wants a job done when he doesnt know the why's and wherefores.

Some of you are exonerating the builder from responsibility, but surely anyone employed to do a job has a duty of care to the customer?

If I pay a mechanic to overhaul the brakes on my car, should I have to check his work is correct when I get the car back?

Although I am a pretty practical bloke, I haven't a clue how to deal with planning departments and building inspectors; the job I want to do doesn't warrant hiring an architect to ensure things are done correctly.

Frankly I feel like tackling the job myself and from a practical point of view I know I could make a workmanlike job of it - its just that I would dread a visit from the Building Inspector who may say the work would have to be redone if I should overlook some small issue.

One of the builders who quoted me had done exactly the same work in a neighbours house about five years ago and the workmanship was impeccable but how am I to know whether he is up to speed with the latest building regulations?

 

[RedHerring2]

On Monday, telephone BC, explain the situation and ask for their advice. In my experience they're helpful people. (That's left me open to a load of flak). The BCO may decide a visit is worth it for your guidance. Often a receptionist will just diary a visit for the BCO.

Alternatively, ask a structural engineer, architect technician or lintel supplier to specify an appropriate lintel (& appropriate padstones, piers, if required) and run it past BC for their approval. If they have any other concerns they'll point them out to you.

They may provide you with a schedule of visits from them for inspections. A fee will be incurred.

Then it's up to your builder to ask you to arrange the visits at the appropriate time, it's up to you to insist that the builder is present. You could do that in the contract.

BC often have procedures in place such as, a telephone request before 10.00 am will result in a visit that same day, otherwise the next day.

They are receptive to e-mails also.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

If I pay a mechanic to overhaul the brakes on my car, should I have to check his work is correct when I get the car back?

Although I am a pretty practical bloke, I haven't a clue how to deal with planning departments and building inspectors; the job I want to do doesn't warrant hiring an architect to ensure things are done correctly.

Frankly I feel like tackling the job myself and from a practical point of view I know I could make a workmanlike job of it - its just that I would dread a visit from the Building Inspector who may say the work would have to be redone if I should overlook some small issue.

If you want to have a go, there are numerous threads in the Building Section explaining how to change a lintel or start your own thread in there, as long as you follow the advice given there's not too much to go wrong and little to be feared from BC.

A good builder will know the relevant regs a poor builder will not, we have no knowledge of your builders experience so can only advise accordingly. The ultimate responsibility thing is a legality thing for your education, as mentioned previously if you want a builder to handle everything employ them on that basis ie get them to sign a contract stating that Building Regulations compliance is their responsibility and that they are responsible for communications with them, a good builder should not be afraid of this, it is only putting in a lintel which ranks pretty low down in the remit of building work .............

 

[DevilDamo]

I haven't a clue how to deal with planning departments and building inspectors

No time like the present to learn then so you know in future? The LA's are pretty helpful, the building control department more than planning. And it seems it's the building control department you're really going to have to deal with.

Just give them a call, explain your situation and they'll tell you what's what... within reason because the normal procedure is for your architect/builder to liase direct with them and co-ordinate inspections, etc...